Tag Archives: World Book Night

I just received the email from the folks at World Book Night letting me know that I have been assigned a book to give away, and to prompt me to choose from where I’d like to pick up those books.

On April 23rd I will be giving away The History of Love by Nicole Krauss, and although it was not the book that I had selected (I’m don’t remember what was), it hardly matters. I’m just incredibly excited to participate in this effort to put a books in the hands of people who may not yet be “readers.” I’ve confirmed my pick-up location and now am only awaiting confirmation. Can’t wait!

If you’re not participating this year, you should be on the lookout for when next year’s sign-up begins, this is certainly a positive and worthwhile effort.

If you want more information on World Book Night and what it entails, here are links to my other posts on the subject:

A couple of months ago I wrote a post titled “A Million Reasons to Read a Book” about World Book Night, the “annual celebration designed to spread the love of reading.” Held on April 23 of this year, World Book Night will supply thousands of individuals with 20 books a piece, with the sole purpose of seeing those books given away to others. The goal, to give away one million books in one night.

I signed up in December and just yesterday received the email that I had been selected to be a “giver,” and although I don’t think that they’re turning many people away, it still felt good to know that in April I will be among the thousands here and in the UK putting books in the hands of those that may not yet love reading. Who knows how many people will be turned on to the joy of literature that night.

They are still looking for volunteers to distribute the books, and I can’t help but think that this can be a really great thing if enough of us get involved. For more information on World Book Night, click here, and if you’re in the US, here is the link to register to be a “giver.”

The subject of reading comes up quite often on this blog, and yesterday was no exception. Whether or not you sided with Fanjoo in the amazon vs. independent bookseller debate, one common ground that I think we all shared was that getting people to read is a good thing. If nothing else, that Slate article set off an interesting thought process, which last night may have found its logical, and positive, conclusion. If the goal is, as I said in the first post about reading, getting books into people’s hands, then the folks at World Book Night definitely have the right idea.

World Book Night is an annual celebration designed to spread a love of reading and books.

Begun last year in the UK to much success, it’s being launched this year in the US. On April 23, 2012 tens of thousands of people in both countries, armed with 20 paperbacks a piece (given to them by local, participating bookstores and libraries), will take to the streets with a single goal… to get the books, one million in each country, into the hands of people who are not normally readers. The day was selected to coincide with World Book Day, created by UNESCO in 1995 to celebrate and promote reading, writing, and publishing. The date also coincides with the anniversary of the deaths of Cervantes and Shakespeare.

The idea behind WBN is a good one.

Reading changes lives and at the heart of World Book Night lies the simplest of ideas and acts – that of putting a book into another person’s hand and saying ‘this one’s amazing, you have to read it’.

They are looking for volunteers to distribute the books in April. If you’re in the US, here is the link to register to be a “giver.” I signed up last night.